Harry's Past
by Sodium
Summary: How did HArry's first encounter with the Dark Lord go? R&R appreciated.


 **Harry's Past**

**Author: Sodium**

Standard disclaimers apply.

Author's Note: This is a 'revised edition' of the story. 'Revised' due to many days of boredom, so I had to find something to amuse myself, hadn't I? It starts a bit further than the first version. Also, my apologies to those who read the first version… I sorta had a problem with hand-eye coordination that day. (Eh-heh-heh…Forgive me?) Hope you'll enjoy this!

***

**Prologue: The Betrayal of Friends**

            The rat scurried about in the gutters, its tail breaking the surfaces of the pools of water in the drain as it ran through the dark and foul-smelling gutter. It seemed to have a certain need to rush to some place, for when the other rats squeaked at it to enjoy a bit of moulded food they had found lurking in the sewers somewhere, it ignored them, and just scurried head on towards its destination.

            It turned a corner, and at the foot of a ladder leading up towards the surface of a darkened alleyway, it began to grow, its shape changing and growing into the shape of a short man dressed in ragged robes. When the transformation was complete, he climbed up the ladder into the dark alleyway. The man walked to the wall at the back of the alleyway, and produced a wand from the sleeve of his ragged robes, knocking on the bricks of the wall methodically. A small doorway, just his own size appeared, and he entered a darkened hallway, the only source of light was a pinpoint further down the hallway. He began to walk towards the light.

            As he neared the light source, he realised that a figure dressed in black hooded robes sat at the table, polishing the stick that was his wand. As he stepped into the ring of light, the figure in the hooded robe looked up and pointed the wand he had been polishing at his throat. 

            'What is your business here?' The hooded man asked, as he stepped forward, closer to the other man.

            'I am Peter Pettigrew, and I do believe that I have a piece of information that would be of interest to the Dark Lord.' he said in a squeaky voice. 'The Dark Lord would not be pleased if you hinder me so.'

            'Of course, if that piece of… information… is not to the Dark Lord's wishes, I'm fairly sure that he would find much… enjoyment… for you.' the hooded man said, with his voice laced with much malice, and a cruel smile upon his face.

            'I'm fairly sure that you would find yourself very, very sorely disappointed.' Peter retorted. 'Now, may I seek an audience with the Dark Lord?'

***

            'Peter Pettigrew, my Lord. He says that he has some information that may be of value to you, my Lord.' the hooded man spoke in a tone of much fear.

            Peter dropped to his knees and crawled towards Lord Voldermort, and kissed the hem of his black robes.  Then, he crawled back to a certain distance, before he rose to kneel on one knee. 'My Lord, I have news of the Potters' whereabouts. They have made me their secret keeper, my Lord. '

            'Well, tell me, then! What are you waiting for, you fool!' Lord Voldermort snarled, although that was quite near impossible, for his face was flat, with only two slits for nostrils, his eyes glowed in red slits, but his mouth was wide, and the tongue that flicked out continually was forked at the end, much like a snake's.

            'My Lord! I meant not to be rude! They're hiding in Godoric's Hollow, my Lord! I could bring you there!' Peter rushed head-on, not wanting to incur the Dark Lord's wrath.

            'Of course, you shall be richly rewarded for your labours, Pettigrew.' Voldermort drawled. 'It is not polite to keep our… friends… waiting, isn't it? Let us get on with it, for after tonight, I, Lord Voldermort, alone, shall be the most powerful of all!' and then, he laughed a high laugh that chilled all those who heard it right to the bone.

            With that, the ring of Death Eaters that had surrounded him made a pathway for him, as he swept out of the room, with Peter at his heels.

*** 

**Chapter 1: A Decision Made**

            'Please listen Lily! You've got to listen to me and there's not enough time left. Voldermort could come bursting through our door anytime now, and we certainly can't invite him in for a cup of tea while we get you and Harry packed up and out of the house, can we?' James cried.

            'James!' Lily cried, exasperated by her husband's streak of humour at this hour. 'That is not the point. I know you're a very good Auror. Good, but not that good enough to block off the Avada Kedavra curse. That's why you need me here. We can ask Sirius to take care of Harry.' 

            'Hey! What a brilliant idea! You two can go to Sirius and he'll hide the both of you!' James exclaimed.

            Lily threw up her hands in exasperation, 'I give up, James! We're not talking on the same wavelength here!'

            James cracked a smile and said, 'I knew you'd see it my way. One way or another, I have to get you and Harry to Sirius. Face the facts, Lily, there's no way I'll sacrifice two lives when really I can sacrifice only one.'

            'You do know what this means, don't you, James?' Lily said, her voice thick with emotion. 

            James reached out and pulled her towards him. 'I know… and I really didn't have any intention to let it end this way. But if that's the way things have to be, who am I to stop the natural course of things?'

            Lily said nothing, instead, she clung tightly to James, and letting the tears she held in full reign as she buried her face on James' shoulder.

            They sat in the silence for a few minutes, both wishing for the moment never to end. James was the first one to break the silence.

            'Lily, it's time to go,' he whispered, though the steely resolve he had couldn't help to keep the emotions from staining his voice. Lily stood up, and put on an old travelling cloak over her robes. James stood up and handed Harry over to her. 'Take care of yourselves.' he said, and kissed Lily on the lips, before dropping a soft and gentle kiss on Harry's forehead. 'Remember: go straight to Sirius and don't return here whatever you may hear. For all we know, he'll hide and wait for you to turn up with Harry.' James warned.

            'I know. Take care of yourself too.' Lily said, and prepared to Disapparate to Sirius's hideout. Just before she vanished, she whispered, 'I love you.' leaving James alone in the living room.

            'I love you too.' he whispered as he settled down into the armchair to await the Dark Lord.

***

            Miles away, a figure cloaked in an old travelling cloak sprouted out of the ground. It held a bundle of cloth in its arms. With swiftness almost animal-like, it dodged silently across the road and into the shadowed patio across, melting into the shadows.

            A pale hand reached into the folds of the cloak, and pulled out a long, thin piece of polished wood. The hand tapped it lightly on the doorknob of the front door, and a voice whispered, 'Alohomora!'

            The door swung open effortlessly and silently to reveal a darkened hallway. Silently, the figure stepped through the doorway. It held out the piece of wood and muttered, 'Lumos!' Immediately, the tip glowed, casting a narrow beam of light onto the walkway. Using the light from the wood, the cloaked figure made a rough check of the surrounding area. When it was satisfied with having found no other forms of life on the first floor, the hand holding the wand rose to its head, and swept off the hood obscuring its face.

            The face of Lily Potter.

***

**Chapter 2: The Wrath of One, The Grief of Another**

            All of a sudden, Sirius's eyes snapped open. Blinking, he stared up at the ceiling. He had been woken by a sudden chilling feeling that someone was observing him. It was the feeling a prey had, knowing it was being tracked by a predator.

            Slowly, he evened out his breathing, as his right hand crept under his pillow to close over the wand he kept there as a habit and as protection ever since the Dark Lord came into reign. With it clenched tightly in his hand, he rose from the bed, without so much as a rustle of sheets and opened the door. 

            Slipping out into the hallway, he stayed in the shadows, avoiding the areas where the moonlight streamed through the window. He crept silently down the staircase, ready to attack. 

            Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, he saw a cloaked figure walking around the house stealthily. Without restriction, he pointed his wand at the figure and yelled, 'Stupefy!' 

            The figure turned around in surprise, and was caught in the chest by the red beam of magic. As it turned around, Sirius caught a pale face caught in the mask of terror. And he recognised that as the face of Lily Potter.

***

            'What in the name of God were you doing in my house in the middle of the night?' Sirius asked. After realising that it was Lily he had hit with the spell, he had rushed over immediately and performed the counter-curse. 

            With Lily seated comfortably on the armchair, and little Harry held safely in her arms, Sirius began to ask if something was wrong.

            Lily remained dry-eyed and chillingly composed as she replied, 'James is staying back at the house to buy us some time before Voldermort finds Harry.'

            Sirius was stunned speechless upon hearing the piece of news, and it was a few moments before he spoke again. 'But… That twit! He'll never survive the encounter! God! I've got to stop him!'

            Before Sirius jumped up and headed towards the front door, Lily spoke again, 'Don't even bother to try. He will not be stopped. Voldermort already knows where we live in Godric's Hollow, and he's most probably on his way at this instant. You'll be courting your own death if you go…'

            Suddenly, Sirius froze. 'How… In God's name… how in the whole damned world did he know where the two of you lived?' Lily just looked at him blankly. And then the horrible truth dawned on him. 

            'Why, that bloody traitor…!'

*******

**Chapter 3: The Beginnings of A Duel**

            'Why that bastard… after all that we've done for him… After all that James had done for him… What does he do to repay us? He sells his stinking soul to the very Devil himself!' Sirius spat, his voice barely above a whisper, laced with venom.

            'Cool it, Sirius!' Lily cried, for the last time Sirius had spoken like that was very long ago, during their school days, when Severus Snape had insulted her and James, defaming the both of them in the Great Hall one day during breakfast. And Sirius had slipped some potion into Snape's pumpkin juice, giving him hair that changed colour for a whole week, causing the whole school to laugh at him mercilessly.

            'Please Sirius! James has a message for you… He told me to tell you not to go after Pettigrew… "The rat's not worth Azkaban," he said.' Lily said through tears, as the thought of never being able to see James alive ever again, pierced her heart with a million knives with edges so sharp you could cut cleanly through a strand of hair as it falls on the blade.

            Sirius kept silent for a long while, then finally he said, 'James's right. The bloody rat's not worth a life term in Azkaban.'

            'Thank you, Sirius… Although I really would like to see him drop dead right in front of my face…' Lily said. 

            'You and the rest of the world… I'd be doing the world a great favour by polishing him off…' Sirius muttered.

            'Sirius!'

            'Just kidding, just kidding! Come on, it's late… let's get you and Harry to bed…'

***

            Voldermort Apparated just outside the little cottage in Godric's Hollow. It was only fitting that the descendant of Godric Griffindor would choose a place named after his ancestor as his hideout. 

            The cottage was dark, except for the single light burning in the window of the living room. Voldermort walked to the front door and opened it with his wand, the door opening soundlessly.

            With a sound no more than the sweep of robes along a carpeted floor, Voldermort walked to the doorway of the living room, the room was completely silent, a fire was blazing in the fireplace, and an armchair was turned towards it, a head with dark, untidy hair protruded up from the back of the chair. 

            'Hand over the boy, Potter… Or you will not be spared.' Voldermort spoke in his high, cold voice. 

            James stood up from the chair. Slowly, he turned around, until he faced Voldermort fully looking him square in the eye. What he saw there did not surprise him, for those eyes, shaped like a snake's, burned red, and were cold, so cold that it fell even below Arctic temperatures. 

            Fitting, for a person of that calibre.

            'No.' was the simple reply from the tall, lean man. 'You will never get him… Lily and I will ensure that.' 

            Voldermort snorted. The look in James's eyes was one of defiance and a blind courage and pride of a man, willing to die to protect his family. Voldermort cackled evilly, the sound of it sending chills down James's spine.

            'Then tell me where Lily is… tell me where your beautiful wife is…' Voldermort's taunting voice carried across the room.

            A blissful haze set over James's mind. _The Imperio Curse!_ he thought. 

_'Tell me where your beautiful wife is, Potter… Wouldn't you like to see my hands around her neck, until her face turns blue?'_ A voice said in James's mind with increasing persuasion. 

_'Why should I?'_ another voice said in response to the serpent-like one. 

_'Aren't we on the run from Voldermort?'_  it asked again. 

The serpent-voice reasserted its question, _'Won't you tell me where your wife is?'_

            Again, the clear-headed voice answered in reply, _'No, I won't! I won't!' _The voice kept repeating itself until it drowned out the serpent-voice.

            'I won't!' James yelled, throwing off the Imperio curse totally, the blissful haze lifted from his mind.

            'You won't?' Voldermort's high, cruel voice asked. 'You won't what, Potter?' the voice asked once more, taunting James.

            'I won't tell you where she is! Not over my dead body!' James spat vehemently. 

            'Then we duel…' began the high cruel voice. 

***

Chapter 4: The Death Of James And Lily 

            _'You won't?' Voldermort's high, cruel voice asked. 'You won't what, Potter?' the voice asked once more, taunting James._

_            'I won't tell you where she is! Not over my dead body!' James spat vehemently. _

_            'Then we duel…' began the high cruel voice. _

Lily woke up, perspiration lining her delicate face. Her breathing was harsh. It took her a few moments to orient herself. _James, _she thought, _I've got to help James!_

            Hurriedly, she pulled on her robes that she had left hanging over the chair.

            A small wail reached her ears as she prepared to leave the room. Harry had woken. She went over to the other bed in the room in which he slept. Picking him up, she tried to hush him, before he woke up Sirius. 

            'Hush! It's okay, Harry… Don't worry…' she said soothingly to him._ I've got to get to James!_ Silently, she Disapparated, leaving behind no note, no sign of her hasty flight.

            Moments later, Lily appeared in the driveway, anxiously, she looked at the window of the living room as she hurried up the driveway to the front door. 

            _Oh no! It has already begun!_ She thought as sparks of green and blue were seen through the window. 

            Anxiously, she fumbled for the keys, then, giving up, she used her wand, 'Alohamora!' she shouted. With the sudden force of the bright gold beam, the door burst open, almost flying off its hinges.

            She dashed to the doorway of the living room just a lamp flew past her head, crashing into the wall behind her. James stood opposite her, duelling the Dark Lord who had his back towards her. 

            Suddenly, James eyes fell on her and the now-silent bundle of cloth she had in her arms. James fought even harder, trying to exhaust all of Voldermort's strength.

            Cackling, Voldermort laughed at James's futile attempts, and shielded off every curse, spell and whatnot thrown in his face. 

            Just then, Voldermort sensed a presence behind him through the insane thrill that coursed through his veins, and turned around, seeing Lily Potter standing in the doorway. He advanced menacingly towards the woman, as James Apparated right in the middle of his path. 

            'Get out of the way, fool!' the Dark Lord's cold voice was shrill. 

            'Quick, Lily! Take Harry and run!' James yelled, and rushed head-on to collide with the advancing figure. 

            A strange force in her made her legs move swiftly, rushing out of the house. 

            A high voice shouted, 'Avada Kedavra!' and a blinding green light illuminated the room.

            Voldermort threw off the man that lay in a heap, now dead. Dead for the life of a toddler barely a year old. Quickly, getting to his feet, he ran after the woman who carried hi prize. He saw her at door, flinging it open once more. 

            Swift as the wind, he aimed a curse that caused ropes to bind her body, and pulled her back into the house, banging the front door shut with another wave of his wand.

            At last, he faced the woman. 

            'Hand over the boy, you foolish girl!' the high voice commanded once more.

            'Never!' Lily cried, her eyes now brimming with tears as she saw her husband lying dead on the floor. No, she must never let the monster see her cry. For Harry, she must be strong.

            'Hand him over!' Voldermort tried to use the Imperious curse once more, but her will was so strong that even beginning to cast the spell on her was a futile attempt. 

Wordlessly, Lily clutched Harry protectively against her chest.

            'Stand aside, you silly girl… stand aside, now…' the high voice replied.

            Lily knew now that there was no way she could run or hide from the monster that had killed countless accomplished wizards and witches. 'Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!'

            'Stand aside, you silly girl… stand aside, now…' the Dark Lord repeated.

            'Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead- Not Harry! Please… have mercy… have mercy…' she cried as she felt a horrible desperation grow within her.

            Without a second warning, Voldermort shouted, 'Avada Kedavra!' And a flash of green light illuminated the room once more.

            Lily's dead form fell to the ground, and slumped over the bundle she held. A single tear fell from her eye and onto Harry's forehead. 

***

**Chapter 5: The Fall Of The Dark Lord **

            Voldermort advanced towards the slumped figure, and removed the body of the bonds.   
  


            A pale thin hand reached out to grab the bundle in which Harry lay, awake, but not making any noise. 

            The thin voice whispered, 'They say you are my nemesis… How untrue… But still… I cannot take any chances…'

            A high, cruel laugh rang out once more against the silence of the house.

            'Avada Kedavra!' 

A beam of green light flashed once more.

***

            A flash of green light flashed and hit the bay Harry in the middle. He uttered a soft cry as he fell through the air to land with a soft thud on his mother's dead body. Oddly, he felt no pain, and so, he did not cry.

            However, the curse rebounded off the bundle of cloth and hit Voldermort square in the chest. The Dark Lord uttered an anguished cry, of both astonishment and fear. 

            Yes, for the first time in his life, Voldermort felt fear. Fear of Death. Not even when he was duelling Albus Dumbledore had the Dark Lord once felt fear, yet when the curse had rebounded back on him when he had cast it upon an infant, he felt the coppery taste of fear in his mouth upon his serpent-like tongue.

            Then, the pain came as Voldermort felt his spirit being torn apart from his body, gradually dulling as he got used to the fiery lances that speared him. It was a few more moments until the Dark Lord stood outside his body, watching it crumple to the ground, disintegrating into the air from the legs up.

            'I… will not… let this… go…' Voldermort spoke between sharp ragged breaths, as he looked down into the infant's face. Slowly, the Dark Lord's human form began to melt into a pale white mist, the red eyes the only remnant of his human form. Harry's face was pale, his green eyes opened wide with fear, imprinting the horrible sight of the Dark Lord's face in his young mind.

            With one last look of pure, unadulterated hate for the boy, the white mist that was Lord Voldermort swept out of the room, and began his journey of thirteen years to regain what he once had.

***

**Chapter 6: Sirius's Task**           

            _Sirius…_ _Sirius…_ _Wake up, Sirius. I need your help…_

            The voice came as barely less than a whisper, yet, it seemed to penetrate deep into the subconscious mind of a sleeping Sirius Black. 

            _Wake up, Sirius… I need your help…_

            Stirring, Sirius opened his eyes groggily. A shining light stood at the foot of his bed. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he raised himself to a sitting position, and looked more carefully into the light. 

            There were two tall figures standing in the light. 

            _Sirius… Help Harry… take care of him…_

            The voice that had spoken to him was familiar, and sounded strangely like Lily's voice. Just as he pondered over that thought, a second voice spoke.

            _Sirius… Please, do us a favour… look after little Harry for us… Hurry, before the Death Eaters get to him._

            This second voice sounded like James's. Suddenly, it all fell in. "Lily? James?" Sirius asked, bewilderment showing in his eyes.

            The features of the two figures now began to become clearer to him as he got out of bed and walked towards the light. They did not reply to his question, instead, they smiled, and it seemed a good enough answer for Sirius. 

            'Don't worry… I will.' Sirius told them, his eyes filling with tears. The two figures smiled once more and turning, they left, and the light faded slowly.

            Sirius threw on a cloak and ran out the front door and into the garage, where he kept his motorcycle. Getting on, he revved the engine and kicked it into motion. It ran on its wheels for a short while, but after that, it took off, flying into the night sky in the direction of Godric's Hollow.

***

**Chapter 7: Finding Little Harry**

            The motorcycle descended from the overcast skies, landing with a bump on the road in front of the almost ruined house. As soon as the motorcycle had landed, he jumped off it and ran through the broken front door. Even in the corridor of the house, there were scorch marks, signs of a spell deflected in mid-battle. 

            A pale, lifeless hand stretched out from the doorway to the Potters' living room. As Sirius went closer, he saw that the hand belonged to the body of James Potter. 

            _God… James, _he thought. Searching the room quickly, he found no signs of Lily's body or of Harry. He turned James over, and closed the wide eyes, still carrying the traces of the fear and panic that James had felt moments before he had died.

            Sirius searched for a while more, listening and looking intently at the shadows. 

_Just in case… just in case…_

            Searching methodically, he finally found Lily slumped over a quietly slumbering Harry. Bending down, he gently picked Harry up from Lily's arms, and lifting her slumped head, he closed those wide green eyes that were still so full of the love she had for her son and husband. Silently, he stood up, and walked out of the house, his head bowed in sorrow.

             Just as he was about to get on his motorcycle, a familiar ambling shape began to stride up towards the house. It was of a large size, almost the height of a young tree. As the figure bore closer, Sirius saw the great scraggly beard and tangled hair. 

            'Hargrid!' he called out. The ambling figure halted, and stood looking into the dark. 'Hagrid!' Sirius called out again. 

            'Sirius? Sirius Black?' came the deep, rambling voice.

            'Of course it is? Who else would have such a great motorcycle like I do?'

            A roar of laughter rambled out of the man Hagrid's throat. 'What are ye doin' here, Sirius?' 

            'I've come to get Harry. What else?' Sirius replied. Looking down at Harry's peacefully slumbering face, he said, 'Isn't he cute?' Sirius smiled down sadly at him. 'Unfortunately for him, the only person he has left in the world is his Godfather…' 

            'Well, Professor Dumbledore told me ter get him. He wants ter leave Harry at his aunt's and uncle's. He says that it's safer fer him there.' Hagrid informed him.

            'Is it? Then, I guess you'll better take him. I can always visit him… Besides, I got some other… business… to take care of.' Sirius muttered, and handed over Harry to the large man. 'And I guess you'd better take my motorcycle as well. It'll make it a lot easier travelling… besides, I don't think that I'll really need it anymore… Even if I did, I know where to get another one…' 

            'Are yer sure? I thought this was yer faverite bike?' Hargrid asked. 

            'Don't worry, I'm fine without it… you need it more than I do now.' Bending little, for Hagrid was so tall, Sirius placed a light kiss on his godson's forehead, saying gently, 'Goodbye now, lil' fella… It won't be long 'till we meet again…' With that, he bid Hagrid a fond farewell, and went back into the house to settle the bodies of his two closest friends.

            Hagrid got on the motorcycle and started up the engine as he held Harry in his arms. As usual, the motorbike flew off into the air, and towards Privet Drive, leaving behind the ruined house and the only semblance of a family that Harry ever had.


End file.
